S.T.E.P. information for the 2007-2008 Physical Science classes

S.T.E.P. 2007-2008 (Physical Science) - Please read carefully as periods 2 and 4 have DIFFERENT projects.

S.T.E.P. (Science Thematic Enrichment Program) will be held on Monday evening, February 11.

You will present your project on S.T.E.P. night. The following guidelines for your project must be followed:
1. must be consistent with the class theme
2. must include library research
3. must include an experiment with experimentally collected data (cannot be just a library research project)
4. must include a written paper (5 pages in length) with a bibliography
5. must include a poster board which will provide an overview of your project and results and be displayed during S.T.E.P. night


Main Theme (period 2): Wind Energy (Some ideas are: How much energy can you generate from the wind? Does the number or shape/placement of the "propellers" affect energy generation? Can you create a way to harness wind energy other than using the traditional "windmill"? etc.)

Main Theme (period 4): Popsicle Stick Bridges (what is the greatest weight a bridge can support when constructed with nothing more than 150 Popsicle sticks and Elmer’s glue? The bridge must span at least 30 cm and be at least 6 cm wide.)

To stay on task, the following time-line should be followed.

Topic / Due Date

STEP groups / November 13

Project ideas from each group / November 19

Initial Project Bibliography / November 29

Initial Experimental Design / December 7

All Experimental Work Must be Completed / before January 23

Final 4 page paper (with bibliography) / January 14

Experimental Results (minimum of 1 page) / January 23

Poster Boards Completed (will have some time in class this day) / January 31

Judging / February 4-8

S.T.E.P. Night / February 11

Physical Science homework

Wednesday, August 22: page 331 1-8;page 351 1-3,11,12,14,35;Lab on page 327 "How Does a Ramp Affect a Rolling Marble?"

Friday, August 24: page 337 1-7; Lab:Balloon Jets

Tuesday, August 28: page 348 1-7; lab on page 117 of the lab manual "Investigating Free Fall"; Test for chapter 11 will be on September 4

Thursday, August 30: worksheets; review chapter 11 using Jeopardy; test on Sep. 4

Tuesday, September 4: Test chapter 11

Thursday, September 6: page 6 section 1.1 assessment 1-8; page 11 section 1.2 assessment 1-8; define vocab words on the top of pages 2 and 7; test for chapter 1 will be on September 14

Monday, Sep 10: p20 section 1.3 assessment 1-6; p14 define words on top of page; worksheet "Scientific Units/Metric System/Unit Conversion"; Lab on page 26 in textbook "Determining thickness of aluminum foil"; test is on Friday, Sep 14

Wednesday, Sep 12: read pages 22-25 and do the section 1.4 assessment problems 1-5; test on Friday

Friday, Sep 14: Test chapter 1

Tuesday, Sep 18: no class-Freshmen Retreat

Thursday, Sep 20: Lab-How does Mass Affect Friction?; test for chapter 12 will be on Oct. 9

Monday, Sep 24: worksheet 12.1

Wednesday, Sep 26: worksheets: 1) sec 12.2 2) Calculating Acceleration 3) Newton's First and Second Laws of Motion

Friday, Sep 28: worksheets: 1) sec 12.3 2) Newton's Third Law of Motion and Momentum

Tuesday, Oct 2: Egg Drop Competition

Thursday, Oct 4: worksheets: 1) sec 12.4 2) WordWise; Lab-Using a Pendulum to Measure the Acceleration Due to Force of Gravity

Monday, Oct 8: no classes-Columbus Day

Tuesday, Oct 9: Test on chapter 12

Thursday, Oct 11: start chapter 13: Forces in Fluids
HW: worksheet 13.1; Lab-Pressure; worksheet "Pressure"

Monday, Oct 15: HW: worksheets 13.2 and hydraulics

Wednesday, Oct 17: no classes

Thursday, Oct 18: Mythbusters video: Buoyant Force; Lab-buoyant force; worksheet 13.3

Monday, Oct 22: Test-chapter 13

Wednesday, Oct 24: start chapter 14: Work and Power
HW: Lab-Power; worksheets for chapter 14

Friday, Oct 26: start chapter 15: Energy
HW: Lab-Coefficient of Restitution for a Ball; worksheet 15.1

Tuesday, Oct 30: Lab-Conservation of Energy; worksheet 15.2

Thursday, Nov 1: video: Bill Nye on Energy

Friday, Nov 2: No school

Tuesday, Nov 6: video: "Einstein's Big Idea" (112 minutes)

Thursday, Nov 8: finish video; library time for STEP research

Monday, Nov 12: No school

Tuesday, Nov 13: worksheet 15.3

Thursday, Nov 15: Test on chapters 14 and 15

Monday, Nov 19: Start chapter 16-Thermal Energy and Heat
HW: worksheet 16.1; worksheet 16.1 "Thermal Energy and Matter"

Wednesday, Nov 21: HW: Lab-Specific Heat

Thursday, Nov 22 through Sunday, Nov 25: Thanksgiving Break

Tuesday, Nov 27: section 16.2-HW: worksheet 16.2; worksheet Heat Transfer

Thursday, Nov 29: HW: worksheet 16.3

Monday, Dec 3: Jeopardy for chapter 16

Wednesday, Dec 5: Test-chapter 16

Friday, Dec 7: Jeopardy review for semester one